Therese Johaug returns: 'There is an element of fear'

Therese Johaug, who retired from cross-country skiing after the 2021-2022 season, is back. The 36-year-old, who gave birth to daughter Kristin during her two-season absence, has returned to the sport she loves for a last dance, with the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships in Trondheim, Norway the main goal.

"It's a mix of feelings," Johaug, who announced her comeback in August, said.

"First of all, you're really looking forward to it. This is what I've been training for the whole year, to wear a bib with a number and hearing the starting gun fire.

"Then there's an element of fear. I've been out of the game for two seasons, I've been pregnant, given birth and life is different in comparison to when I was competing before.

"You get more tired; things take more of your power and it is not the same to leave your home to go travelling when you might not see your daughter for several days.

"At the same time, I am excited. I've trained well since July and all the hours of training I've put down for so many years are also not gone. I don't feel I'm back in the shape I had at the peak of my career, but the shape is good."

As the new FIS Cross-Country World Cup season kicks off in Ruka, Finland on 29 November, Johaug is not thinking about a fourth overall victory – yet.

"The plan is that I will compete in everything before Christmas,” she said. “Then I'll see where I stand, whether I need to compete more or not.

"The world championships are definitely my main goal; the World Cup is a part of the path leading to it."

And in front of the home fans in Trondheim, the objective is clear.

It was not falling out of love with the sport that made Johaug announce her retirement in March 2022. The four-time Olympic champion simply wanted to pursue another dream in life.

"It was very hard and painful,” she admitted. “I quit because I wanted to become a mother and you never know how long that will take until you've tried.”

"I had to ask myself whether I'd be happier with a world championship gold medal or not, and the answer was that no, I wouldn't be happier, if it comes at the cost of not being able to have a child.

"The day I quit I said, 'it would be nice to make a comeback one day, if I'll feel that the motivation is there'. If I'd want to try it out at the world championships in Trondheim in the 50km race, I could do that, and that's how I felt this year. The shape was good so why not give it a try?”

A keen runner, Johaug proved she is still in great physical shape by winning the women's half marathon in Grue, Norway, in May this year in a time of one hour, 11 minutes and 27 seconds.

But there is one big difference compared to when she was last an elite cross-country skier.

"You don't know when Kristin will sleep well or poorly, when she's going to have a good or a bad day,” Johaug explained. “She’s sleeping super well and then she all of a sudden sleeps super poorly and is awake for two-three hours in the middle of the night. You have to organise your day around her.

"Two-three weeks ago I had to pull the handbrake a little to make sure I focused on myself and sleeping well at night to get optimal recovery to be able to perform."

However, having a new little supporter at home has also given Johaug a lot of new positive energy, too.

"You're looking at things with more of a perspective when you've been out for two years," she said.

"You've got more of a calm in your body and perhaps feel a bit more that if it goes well, it's great, but if it doesn't then I've got an amazing daughter waiting for me at home and who I look forward to seeing again."

Following the competition from the sidelines for two seasons has been a challenge for one of cross-country skiing’s all-time greats.

"First of all, you miss the people and the environment around the competitions,” Johaug said. “You miss seeing yourself develop in training, feeling that rush inside of you when the starting gun fires, trying to make the most of what you've been training on.”

Even with 82 World Cup victories to her name, out of a total of 149 podiums, Johaug also admits to feeling "the atmosphere and the nervousness”.

"Many would think that my results just came by themselves but they didn't,” she said. “There is a reason why I performed well time after time and that is because I'm good at zeroing myself, focusing on the task, doing the right things, thinking here and now rather than 'I'll win this for sure'.

There is even more incentive for her – and cross-country fans around the world – to live in the moment given Johaug insists her return is for one season only.

"After this I'm up for doing other things,” she said. “I'd perhaps like to have a second child afterwards, if possible, so I feel that the Trondheim world championships will be the end."